Field Experience Reflection

Ms. Horning, 2nd grade

Field Experience Reflection

Ms. Horning, 2nd grade

I had the incredible opportunity to observe a wonderful teacher at L'overture Computer Technology Magnet Elementary. The teacher that I observed with was Ms. Horning a second grade teacher at L'Overture. She showed me several different venues of technology you could use in the classroom.

One type of technology Ms. Horning used in class was a mystery Skype. Before class started she had prepared for the lesson which consisted of a map of the United States in the students iPads. When the lesson started the students then retrieved their iPads and continued to their map of the United States that Ms. Horning had set up for them. Then she called another classroom in another state using the technology tool Sykpe. Each classroom had 5 questions to ask each other. They used these questions to figure out what state their mystery Skype was in. As the students asked their questions they would cross out the states that were eliminated by the answers of the questions. By the end of the questions they knew that their mystery Skype was in the state of Illinois. I thought it was very interesting that they got to meet another classroom using the same technology that they were using. I, also, liked the fact that they each had a visual aid to help them through the questions.

Another type of technology she used was called a brain break. She would go onto YouTube and look up “Just Dance” videos and allowed the kids to get up out of their chairs and dance along with the video that projected different dance moves on the Smartboard. This was a good way for the kids to get up and move around and to get their wiggles out before the next lesson.

She also had another activity where the students read an article about Earth Day on their iPads and Smartboard. After reading the article together they went to this website that Ms. Horning had put in questions that related to the article for a comprehension quiz on the iPads. They then got to compete against each other by taking the quiz and at the end of each answer they got to see each others scores. I thought this was a very unique way to get kids involved and interested in the activity.

I noticed with all these different types of technologies that Ms. Horning used in class the kids were actively engaged and wanting to participate in the activities. Most of Ms. Horning’s lessons involved an iPad or some sort of technology from the Smartboard. This allowed her to be able to walk around the room and be very active with her students throughout the classroom. I feel the pros of this technology in the classroom is that the kids are engaged and want to do the lessons and are not bored with the usual paper and pencil. Technology like this provides more current information than an outdated school book. One thing that would worry me about using these types of technologies in the classroom is that it may not work some days. Technology is never guaranteed and there could be days that your lesson plans are built on technology and if it turns out not to be working then you end up not fulfilling your lesson for the day.

Interview Questions

What are the benefits to students using technology in the classroom?

Having it individualized. Getting certain kids different types of apps to help them grow in their learning process and allowing the kids to go at their own pace. This allows them to become stronger in areas they need to work on the most. Each kid can work on their own development rather than staying with a classroom development. Having technology in the classroom rather than books allows them to have the most current information to learn. It helps us be more aligned with Common Core State Standards.

What are the disadvantages for students use of technology?

The misuse of it. Children thinking that iPads and technologies are only for entertainment and not to gain knowledge from it.

What is your favorite classroom technology? Why?

I would have to say kidblog. It is a program where kids from around the world can blog about certain topics either what they're talking about in class or what they're talking about in their personal lives. I just think it's neat that kids can talk to other kids from around the world.